Darkness Falls
by Yumeorb
Summary: Behind every light,a darkness lures fast and deadly as the shadows walks. So if you're not careful among those 'weak' people, it's very possible that you'll find yourself falling in the grasp of their darkness...
1. Trailer

**Darkness falls ** (Nothing to do with the movie) 

Trailer: (The scenes probably won't be in the fic)

*Flick*

_Are you someone who leads a group to pick on someone smaller than yourself? If you are, this is my warning, be careful, very careful... _

"Is everything alright today?" Mr. Bakura asks.

"Yeah," Ryou lied "Don't worry father, just have fun on your archaeology trip. I hope that you can discover more things soon!"

_If you just want to have some fun. Heed my warning, don't do it to them..._

Scream pierced one's ears as Yugi grunt and yelped when he was roughly thrown onto the dirt ground. He touched his bleeding arm. His usually innocent purple-jeweled eyes were now filled with fears as he stared up at the group who had done the damage to him.

They laughs as he shut his eyes and wish that it was only a nightmare, even thought he knew too well that it was all reality.

_Because while they are vulnerable outside in the light. The beating will cause them to make up a hero that'll protect them that they hoped would exist..._

_Why can't someone just help me? Without getting hurt?_ Malik thought. He closes his eyes just when the moon came out from its hiding spot behind the cloud.

_And that fantasy will became reality. Living inside the darkest part of the person. Feeding on his hurt, fears, hate, and darkness._

_And the more darkness they gain, the more powerful their 'fantasies' will grow...grow until it's powerful enough to conquer..._

_And that's when you'll fall..._

_//Ryou, I am Bakura, but you must trust me...//_

_//Yugi, Yami is my name, but you shall give me promise...//_

_//Malik, I'll help you believe, my name is Marik...//_


	2. The Sorrow Afternoon

**Darkness Falls** -The Sorrow afternoon 

Disclaimer: Yu-gi-Oh! Belongs to Mr. Kazuki Takahashi

"Speech"

_Thought_

_//Yami to hikari//_

Ryou Bakura walked home. His bag slithered on his hand. There was a red trace of dried blood by it. It wasn't quite visible because he had purposely hid it away from the sunlight that reflected from the sun, which is currently setting. 

The golden red, orange, and yellow lights from the sun made the back of his well-buttoned school uniform look a bit more of greenish rather than deep blue.

Ryou wasn't aware that dried blood scar on his hand were starting to bleed again. Why would he? After all, that's what its been trying to do all day. He was just glad that his other bruises had healed themselves quite nicely these days.

He was very thankful that his father never found out about them, especially when he almost screamed to death when he saw a small one on his wrist. But to Ryou, that was only a small one.

It was when he reached the front door of his house did he notice that his hand was red from the blood. "Oh no!" he panicked and tried to wipe it off using his sleeve. It was when a thought reminded him that his father wouldn't be home that night relaxed him.

He always hated it when his father had to go away. Leaving him at home. But being an A student and knowing every detail of how to live alone stopped his fathers worries. He had to admit that thankfully, he wasn't like those fathers who worried so often for their son. 

Ryou was also glad that he didn't know that fact that he gets beaten almost every day. He had gotten quite used to it, but it never stops hurting and he never stop hating it. 

He slid the key inside the keyhole of his house and turned the doorknob for it to open. The brown door creaked as Ryou stepped inside and closed it behind him. He sighs and took off his shoes.

He then dragged his brown school case to his room. 

He had his head down all the time, looking at the floor as passed a mirror. He didn't notice another reflection looking at him when he passed by. 

The world is so confusing to the mere pale haired boy. He didn't have any friends. He _had_, but they are all afraid to stand up for him. After the threat from one of the group members who picks on him, none of them wanted to be his friends. Too afraid...

His hand trailed to the doorknob that leads to his room. He slowly turned it.

He looked. The room was pretty normal as usual. His bed lied in one corner of the room. His desk and chair was on the other. Settled besides it was a small bookshelf full of many different types of books, from fantasy to science fiction.

He closed the door and leaned on it. The school case dropped from his hand onto the cold, solid ground. With his eyes closed, he walked to his bed and flopped down on it.

His two chocolate brown eyes were blurry from the tears as he tilted his head up and climb deeper to the corner of the bed. The tears that he had tried to hide every time, fortunately for him, it worked, at least in front of his father.

The snowy white hair was spread on the pillow as he hugged it tightly like a child would hug a teddy bear. He closed his eyes as the shiny tears dripped and rolled down his cheek, only to be wiped away by the pillow.

_I really wish that there's someone..._ he thought _Someone, anyone that could help_ he sighs and look out the window. The sun was almost down and all he could see outside was clouds and the trailing endings of red, yellow, and orange left by the sun.

He tightened his grip on the pillow as hard as he can. He resumed shutting his eyes as thinking, just thinking. He knew that having those thoughts of his own trouble and wishing for someone is probably a bit selfish. But what can he do? Wait for someone? That's what he had been trying to do. His conscious was losing itself each by each as the second hand on the clock ticked. 

_//Don't worry, I'm coming...// _

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Yugi Moto opened the door that leads to the game shop that his grandfather owned. The bells on the green and glass filled door clinked together when he opened it.

"Oh Yugi! You're home!" Solomon Moto smiles at his grandson "How's school today?"

"Fine" he shrugs then ran to the back of the shop to the door that leads up to his room "I'm going up to my room"

"Oh, alright." Solomon shrugs back. It was nothing unusual. He knows that Yugi would always go upstairs the first thing when he reached home. Why? He never thought about that. Perhaps it's because of his home works, or maybe working for extra credit from the teachers. Either ways, Solomon understood that he needs his own privacy.

Upstairs at Yugi's room, he locked the door and sat in front of the mirror. Is it possible that magic mirrors exist? He often wonders. Can they show you the past? Future? Present? Or can they answer any questions? If they can he wanted to ask: Why is my life so miserable? 

Sure, he was pretty well at class. Hardly ever fail at any subject. Except for physical education. Usually got an F, or if he's lucky, a D. But that's not the problem. The problem is his height, or he thinks.

He had always been called a midget and getting picked on because of his height. And people often thought that he was only around ten. 

Yugi ball up his hands and look into the mirror. His big and round purple-jeweled eyes looked angry and sad at the same time. Looking at himself like that almost made him cry. His eyes trailed off when he noticed his golden lightning hair on the sides. It's a part of the Moto family tradition to be born with spiky hair. That's one thing that he liked about himself.

He brushed his hand over the smooth shrilling hair. They felt soft and itchy. He put his hand down. In the mirror, he studied himself closely. 

_Maybe there's someone else that can be my friend._ He thought. It's not like he doesn't have any friends, he does. It's just that...they don't hang out with him and hardly talk with him unless he go over to them, but the conversation is always short, perhaps one or two sentences. Can you still call them friends?    

But he had wanted a true friend for a long time now. But so far, his lucky star just wasn't in his sight yet, if there is one for him. He had kept all the business to himself, away from grandpa. He usually sneaked into the house using the nearby elm tree when he was beaten up badly and look as bad. 

He had found it surprising that after all the hurtful punches and kicks he received, he had found enough energy within him to accomplish that will.  

_I really wish I had a friend. A special one _

He sighs and rested his head in his arms. His eyelids dropped. _I'm tired_ he thought. And without warning, he fell into a deep slumber by the minute.

_//I'll be your friend, but you just have to have patient...//_

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Mariku Ishtar took off his jacket. His sister Ishizu, or Isis for short, was having another meeting with the other exhibit collectors. They were archeologists that were studying the Roman Empire. Isis had taken high interest in the subject and decided to join in.

_It doesn't matter_ he thought stubbornly as he climbed out onto the roof _She always goes out anyway_

The cool afternoon breeze blew on his long blondish-white hair. He quickly pushed it away from his face, revealing a pair of indigo-violet eyes. He put his hands on the rooftop by his sides as he shook his head up to see the sky.

He never had a problem with school or things about that, but he felt as if there was something missing _I wanted friends don't I? But again, I don't want them._

Friendship is what he was missing. But being someone who could almost tell a person's personality by a few glances really mixed his feelings. Besides, it's not like they like him anyway. He was the silent one, the one with no option or opinion. And that's probably another reason why he gets bullied. 

Sure, at first he just wanted to feel the taste of hurt and pain. But soon he got tired of it, but he couldn't fight back anymore even when he wanted to. Why? Why not? He was not all-powerful.

He blew his hair aside and put his arms behind his head and leaned back down. He wanted someone to understand, but not get too involved in it. Telling his sister was no use. Isis would just start by giving out tons of stupid advices and tipping him every minute. 

_Maybe I should get friends. How? Just go to them and give them a friendly 'hello'? I don't think so_ he thought _Next there will be a new group of people trying to hurt me. Life is a crisis._

Isis will probably be leaving to the digging site of where the two archeologists had found their treasures soon. She does that almost every time. Malik hadn't really think that was a big deal, it's best off that way. She doesn't need to know about his troubles.

On nights when Isis wasn't home and it was a clear night. He'd often tried to think of someone that can be his friend and help him through difficulties. A strange fantasy, but more or less, what else can he do? 

His eyes slowly closed.

Can it be true that someone like he had imagined is real? Even if they are, why didn't he or she help him? No, why would they? 

A small roll of wind blew across the rooftops and passed by the sleeping blondish-white haired boy.

_//You have to hold on tightly, or else you'll fall behind...//_

a/n: Their lives are like...random crap *bang head on the table* sorry, could find any ideas. This is the dub version and the original version name mixed. The Ishtar's names are Mariku & Ishizu. Malik & Isis for short.


	3. The 'normal' School Day

Darkness Falls 

-The 'normal' school day

Malik look at his surroundings. Domino City, he hadn't expected that. As he had thought, Isis did left with the archeologists to their...well, it's not their digging site, but that's where they had stored the ancient artifacts. But he didn't know that _he_ was coming as well.

_Domino city_ he thought in blur. 

"Mariku, I hope you don't mind, but recently you seemed very bored, so I thought maybe I could bring you with me to Domino City." His sister had said.

Malik was sure that his mind had yelled at him for times to say no. But Ishizu had something that she always does which made him kept that thought silent. Her blue eyes were something that he had a hard time escaping. 

He sighs again. Right now he was on his seat in one of the Domino City school classroom. It did not surprise to him that Isis had almost everything set as if they were about to live there. Her trips often took a long time.

"Mizani, please concentrate on the work." The teacher sighed, "You have to get more practices."

Malik tilted his head up to see a girl with her face down standing in front of the teacher. There were low giggles. Marik ignore that. 

_At least it's only class. She must have had much better times_ he thought. 

He flipped through the pages in his schoolbook just when the lunch bell rang. "Alright class!" the teacher shouts above the rest of the student's chatting "That's all for today, and remember to check over the books."

                                    * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

            Yugi put his materials back inside of his schoolbag. Turning around to see some students still in the classroom, he noticed a tall boy was still sitting in his spot, reading. 

The shorter boy cocked his head and took a few steps forward. The boy was tall all right, even comparing to the other students. He had dark brownish hair and clear blue eyes. He had a serious face on as he read through. 

Yugi blinked and then backed off just enough to touch the wall near one of the doors. He heard some giggling and chatting nearby. He turning to the nearest door he saw a few of the other class girls standing besides there. But they spared enough room for a person to pass through the door.

They all had a slight blush on their face, one of them points inside the classroom and squealed. Yugi followed the direction and understood that they were talking about that tall brown haired boy.

"Oh my! He's so cute!" one of them squealed again.

"Yeah! That Seto Kaiba is the cutest!" another giggled.

"And the best!" the third one added.

_'Seto Kaiba?'_ Yugi thought _'I thought I heard of that name before. Yeah, he's the guy who always gets full points on his tests.'_

He must've heard or noticed that his few fan-girls were there because he slammed his book down and got up. Putting the book back he reached for his school case and quickly walked out of the classroom through the other door.

"Aw!" the first one wined "And I didn't even get the chance to talk to him yet."

"Hey! Back off! He's mine!" the third one snapped.

"No he isn't!" the last one argued.

"Yeah! He's suppose to be mine!" the first one argued in.

Yugi left through the door as the three Seto Kaiba fan-girls argued on about him.

_'He sure gets his fan'_ Yugi thought as he left the classroom ' I wish I could be someone like that.'

He stopped _'But I sure don't see him with his friends, he is the silent type. Oh well, at least he could get lots of attentions, and I mean the good ones if he wants'_

Walking slowly with his head down in thinking position, he hadn't notice someone with long blondish-white hair walked out of a classroom 2 feet away from him and towards another direction. For if he had, something might've just shocked...

     * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryou inhaled the scents drifting upon the fresh cool air. It smelled like wildflower, and the wind felt soft and gentle.

The sunlight creaked its way pass as he walked under a large tree and sat down. Having the feeling of joyfulness. He leaned by the trunk of the tree and shut his eyes. The faint sound of wind blowing, birds chirping, and, laughter?

His eyes snapped open when he heard the unfriendly laughter. He jumped up, spotting about half of the group members that usually bully him. He looked around in panic to search for a hiding spot.

The 4 students laughs at each other's comment before leaving to the other hallway that leads back into the school.

Ryou poke his head out from behind the tree. Seeing that the coast is clear, he gave a relief sigh and came back to view from behind the tree. Knowing that the place was not very safe, he picked up his school case as quick as possible and ran from the tree.

He was too busy to notice that a very small hole was by the tree. "Oof!" he cried, falling over. He responded as quick as he could and got up back to his feet "Where did that came from?"

The bells rang again for the classes to start. Wiping his face, he stood back up and down to the hall he left. 

But back in the small hole, something glowed in a soft golden color. It vanishes when Ryou was in the school building.

_//Soon you won't be hiding from them anymore...they'll hide from you...//_

a/n: Short chapter...afraid that the yamies won't come out till a few chapter later. Maybe one or two...but soon enough!   


	4. Millennium Day

Darkness Falls 

-Millennium Day

_-I woke up it was seven, I waited till eleven-_

_-To figure out that no one would call-_

The sunlight sparkled as Ryou woke from his dream. Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes. He took a glance at his clock: 7:00 right on time. He yawned and got off the bed.

Taking a brush he started to comb his long hair. If you want long hair, you have to take good care of it. That thought surrounded Ryou every morning. He loved his snow-white hair and it's a waste to cut such hair. His father always said so.

Putting the brush back down. He got his school uniform ready. Taking out the blue light jacket and pants, including a white shirt that had to be worn inside the jacket. 

_-I think I got a lot of friend but I don't hear from them-_

_-What's another night all alone-_

_-When you're spending every day on your own-_

Yugi straighten his unbuttoned blue jacket and looked into the large mirror. He had to go early so he won't meet any of the thugs that usually bother him at school. Smiling, he grabbed his schoolbag and ran down the stairs. 

"Good morning Yugi!" Solomon, who's still in his apron smiled at his small grandson.

"Morning grandpa!" Yugi smiled. He grabbed his lunch and stuffed it into his schoolbag. Then he hurried to the table. After having a large gulp of milk he snatched a toast with a scramble egg and a piece of lettuce on it. Carrying it with his right hand he used his other one to waved at Solomon "Thanks grandpa! I have to go now!"

Solomon shook his head and laughs "Oh Yugi, why do you always act like you're late for school?"

The bells on the front door clanged together and the sound of the door slammed shut could be here from the kitchen through Solomon's ears.

_-And here it goes: -_

_-I'm just a kid, and my life is a nightmare-_

_-I'm just a kid, and I know that it's not fair-_

_-Nobody cares 'cause I'm alone and the world is having more fun than me-_

_-Tonight-_

Malik slowly walked to school 'Why today?' he thought miserably. Yesterday, his first day at school, at the Domino City school, just that first afternoon, he had another stupid group trying to kill him. Sure, not intentionally. But it feels like it.

It wasn't his fault that they couldn't find their usual prey to have fun with. What was his name? Ryei? Rie? Ryu? Anyway, it surely wasn't his fault that he kind of looked like him with long hair.

He checked his watch to see what time it was. It was enough to see the tip of a long, red scar. He pulled down his sleeves. And it certainly wasn't his fault that he was defenseless. He looked down, right now wishing that he could talk to someone. It was hard keeping the feelings inside of him.

_-And maybe when the night is dead, I'll crawl into my bed-_

_-Staring at these fore walls again-_

_-I'll try to think about the last time-_

_-I had a good time-_

_-And everyone's got somewhere to go-_

_-And they're gonna leave me here on my own-_

Yugi looked around. The school day had finally ended, and so far, luckily, he hadn't spotted any of the thugs. 

"Whew!" he smiled, relieved when he reached the small pond that they had behind the school. He looked at his reflection. He remembered the first time they dumped him in there. The water was freezing cold back then. And he missed a week of school because of the cold he caught from it.

Suddenly, he saw something twinkle in the water. He narrowed his eyes for a better look. There was something. It flashed again, this time with a dainty golden light.

"What is that?" Yugi asks himself softly. He leaned over closer and closer to the pond 'It looks like...' his thoughts were cut off when he lost his balance and fell into the water.

There were several small gasps after that.

Yugi, down underwater felt more weight as some rocks went into his schoolbag and tried to drag him down. But he finally used his might to swim upwards. Poking his head out of the water he gasped for air. Seeing some of the students, he quickly swam to the shore and started to run away. Ignoring the heavy weight caused by his schoolbag.

There were three good reasons for that. 

First of all, he didn't want to get in trouble by the teacher. Second, he didn't want to get laughed at, not that he wasn't used to the laughter. Third, he didn't want to get pushed into it again.

Running as fast as he can he hoped that he'll get back home safe without running to any more problems. 

_-And here it goes: -_

_-I'm just a kid, and my life is a nightmare-_

_-I'm just a kid, I know that it's not fair-_

_-Nobody cares 'cause I'm alone and the world is having more fun than me-_

Ryou started off the path that he usually goes from the school. Then he thought about the small hole he tripped into the other day.

_'Why was there a hole there?'_ he thought. It was as if someone was controlling him because his feet started to move towards the direction that he came from last time, towards the very small hole that he was thinking about.

When he went out of his thoughts, he realized that he as standing in front of the small hole. He looked down at it.

Suddenly something seemed to pull him to it. Attracting him to go down and fetch up...whatever's down there. Ryou felt his hands digging into the cool moist soil. He dug deeper until he felt something. It was a hard part, but it felt light as well. 

Gripping on of its part he was able to pull it out.

"Huh?"

On his hand was a dirty metal...something. "Trash!" he sighs. Holding the 'thing' up again, his eyes widen when he caught a faint slight sparkle from it.

"What is this?" he asked himself softly.

He knelt down to one leg. Using his other hand to pat away the dirt and soil on the metal thingy. When most of the hard parts were off, he reached inside of his school case and took out a handkerchief, wiping the rest of the dirt off of the metal thing.

His eyes were filled with more amazement each time he rubbed the handkerchief to the core. Revealing a shiny, golden spot. 

He struggled with it until he got everything off. Dropping the now-dirty handkerchief on the side, he stood up and held the metal, golden thing carefully and gently in his hands. His mouth was partly opened as he gazed at it in surprise.

It was a large golden ring with an eye carved on the triangle that's in the middle of the ring. And on the below sides of the ring there were little, tall diamond-shaped decorators clinging onto it. 

"Wow" he examined it carefully "What an beautiful artifact!" 

_'Who could've left it there? On purpose? By accident? Or it might've been there for years! And maybe longer, but it didn't look that old. It's not rusty at all. Could someone had buried it to hide it from _something?' Questions filled to the top of his head.

Using his finger, he slowly careless each spot on the ring. Touching the smooth and cold feature, especially the eye. What a strange eye that is. For it somehow seem to look back at Ryou's smiling face in dark delightfulness.   

_-What the hell is wrong with me just feeling if anybody -why does this happen to me-_

_-Why to wake when I'm bored and I can't fall asleep-_

_-And every night is the worst night ever-_

Malik threw his schoolbook down on the floor angrily. Isis is going out tonight again, to go to another one of her meetings. 

Looking down, he felt it again. The hate of being forced to do something he hates. Why do they have to bother him? What had he done wrong? His first intention might've been foolish, wanting to taste pain, but what can you do when you tasted too much of it?

He flopped down onto the floor and hugged his knees. He felt weak and helpless, defenseless and small. Unable to do anything but watch, watch as he get himself hurt. What a meek action and thought, yet how can he deny it otherwise? That's what he is right now. 

With one hand clutching his head, his leaned to his sides before falling down onto the carpet floor.  

He felt like crying as pain stabbed over him. He didn't know why he was feeling that way, but he was. _'I have to get back onto my feet!' his thoughts argued 'Have to get back on no matter what!'_

Malik sighs and use his right hand to support him up. But that was a small mistake he made as that part of the floor suddenly moved and threw him back onto the floor. He grunted and growled, after getting up to kneeling position, he crept over to the place where he had found the 'moving floor'.

It was more tilted and stuck in than the rest, also a bit ajar. It was the size of an old fashion music box top. He sighs in frustration and tried to fix the board back onto its original place only to figure out that he had already pushed it in too much to take it back out again. 

Looking at it, he poked his hand in to see it there's anything in there just in case. He stuck his hand in just to touch the edge of something. It felt like a stick, a small wand or something. 

Gently, he pulled it out. 

Whatever it was, it was sure dusty. He blew on it roughly. Letting the dust flying to the side. Then Malik pats them rest away, at least the ones that he can. Standing up, he walked to the bathroom sink and starts to wash the stick.

He rubbed the dirty part off and stopped the running water. Taking a towel and dried it, he looked at it with astonishment. "Wow..."  

It was clearly some kind of golden wand. A rod. It has a ball with an eye on the top of the handle with two sharp and thin wing-like blades on the side. He gripped on the handle. Somehow, it felt...right? As if it was especially made for him. There were some connection to it, he can feel it...somehow.

He held the round top on his other hand and pulled the handle firmly down. 

"What?" He was now holding two pieces. One was the ball with the eye top and the other is the handle, with a sharp blade at where the top was supposed to be. Turning it into a dagger.  

Malik shuddered out of somewhat reason. He equipped the dagger back onto its top, forming back into a rod. A golden light pursed softly in when he gently set it down.

"Strange..."

_-I'm just a kid-_

_-I'm just a kid-_

_-I'm just a kid- -I'm just a kid-_

_-Yeah, I'm just a kid- -I'm just a kid-_

_-Yeah, I'm just a kid- -I'm just a kid-_

Yugi hung his wet uniform and shirt by the window. Luckily, he had run into no trouble at all. And climbing the elm tree was simple as that.

He was now wearing his casual clothing, a purple and white T-shirt with a navy jacket, and dark navy color pants. He head over to his schoolbag and picked up his wet materials. He sighed as he laid them out one by one. Then dumped out the dirt and rocks within them.

"Oh boy," he groan and started to sweep the dirt off of the floor using the napkins that he had prepared besides him.

Then he worked on the rocks, picking one up he mumbles, "What should I do with these?"

Tossing the small ones out to the small plain of grass from his window he sighed again and fixed his vision on the bigger ones. _'How did I get those in there?'_ he thought in confusion. Unaware of that one had tried to expose itself as something hit within it, Yugi picked a few of them up.  

"Now what? Throw them down as well?" he whined softly. 

Turning around to the window again. One of the rocks started to crack. The crack was silent and slow. Making its way down like a painter would move his brush down. Steady, lightly, and gentle.

Yugi wiped the sweat off from his forehead and turn back.

The rock cracked just in time followed by the flash of golden light. "Ah!" Yugi cried from the blindness that light caused. Using his arm to cover him, he heard a sound like thunder cracking and wind blowing directly towards him.

The sound and wind lowered down until it was no more and the lights slowly dimmed. Yugi put his arm down. Opening his big eyes, he gasped at the object in front of him. It was a rectangular golden box with strange designs on it.

He cocked his head and fell to his knees in front of it. Touching the lid he looked at it with curiosity. He rubbed his fingers upon the cool surface, which attracted him even more.     

His hand moved to the side of the lid and tried to break open the seal. He grunted and used his other hand to help. Pulling with all his might, he thought 'This lid is...is so attached to the box...so hard to budge.'

Yugi gave one final pull and, as if on purpose, it released itself and that send Yugi flying backwards. He cried out and stood still on the ground for a moment. Then he sat up and rubbed his head with the lid. "Ouch," he whimpered. 

The box had topped over and the things within it scattered around the floor. Blinking with confusion and curiosity. Yugi walked over to it and sank down.

"Pieces..." his hands figured out what it was before his eyes could "Puzzle pieces!" he exclaimed, holding up a few of the golden pieces "So shiny..."

Before he knew it, he had started to put the pieces together one by one. Although he sometimes reached the hard parts where he couldn't fit any pieces together. Even that, something urged him to go on. 

It was as if he was on a dark path, walking step by step towards the exit while strange things occurred on the path. As much as he wanted to turn back, something pushed him forward. Going on and on.  

_-I'm just a kid, and my life is a nightmare-_

_-I'm just a kid, and I know that it's not fair-_

_-Nobody cares 'cause I'm alone and the world is-nobody wants to be alone in the world-_

In a white room, a boy with golden strike hair on the sides of his face and some on the top tilt his head up. His garnet eyes flashed as a small light beamed through a hole. Walking towards it, his blue boots made small but clear footsteps on the clears and glassy floor.

With one hand in his pocket, he stood in front of the hole. A wicked smile crept over, "Yes," he smiled wickedly "That's the way. Soon I'll be able to get out of this disgusting place"

Touching the sides of the hole with his bare hand, and feeling the coolness upon it at the same time. His smile widened and an evil laugh came after it.

_-I'm just a kid, and my life is a nightmare-_

_-I'm just a kid, and I know that it's not fair-_

_-Nobody cares 'cause I'm alone and the world is-nobody wants to be alone in the world-_

_-Nobody cares 'cause I'm alone and the world is having more fun than me-_

_-Tonight-_

_-I'm all alone-_

_-Tonight-_

_-Nobody cares-_

_-Tonight-_

_-'Cause I'm just a kid-_

_-Tonight-_

a/n: Yes I know, I know. Y. Yugi is acting wicked, evil and devilish right now. But unfortunately they'll all start out that way. And I'm not sure how they'll end it. (If they ever) The song "I'm just a kid" by 'Simple Plan' 


	5. Yami Yugi

Darkness Falls 

-Yami Yugi

Yugi lied soundless on his bed. Gazing at the ceiling, he decided that it's best to rest for a while. His puzzle still wasn't finished yet. And another day had passed. How little sleep had he received, yet he could not fall asleep while something urged him to go on.

He had just woken up from his sleep. How long had he slept? That he wasn't sure, it was probably around nine o'clock right now. The last time he looked at the clock it was six o'clock. Adding up, he had about three hours of sleep. Was that enough?

His amethyst-purple eyes were half-open as he slid off the bed like a carpet and fell to him knees on the floor with his head down. 

The box and puzzle pieces were right in front of him. Pursing with gold lights reflected from the sunlight. With whatever energy he had, he used it and took two pieces and put them together.

Click

It fitted together perfectly. Taking another piece, he added on to the two. Then connect them with the puzzle top that he had already started. Then he picked up a few more pieces and started to connect them each by each. His eyes were still half opened and dull while he did that, as if being hypnotized. 

An hour later Solomon knocked on Yugi's bedroom door "Yugi, I'm coming in" he said before turning the doorknob and slowly push the door back. He stepped in and saw Yugi, asleep on the floor with a strange 3D pyramid puzzle by his side and a box.

Solomon shook his head, "This child sure can sleep." He sighed. He walked over and tried to pick him up, "And he's getting heavier by the days!"

Putting the golden box and puzzle besides his grandson's pillow, Solomon noticed that the puzzle was only missing one piece: The very end tip of the puzzle.

Yugi suddenly groan in his sleep and switch his sleeping position making him face where the puzzle and the box is. He was gripping something in his right hand, but enough to let Solomon see what he was gripping "Ah! The last piece!" He smiled.

He took the piece in his hand even thought Yugi was still gripping on it as well. He chuckled and inserted the piece into the awaiting hole. "There we go." He smiles. Then he headed out the door and closed it gently.

Yugi, still holding the last piece, was in his dreamland already. He grabbed the puzzle and brought it into his arms. Ignoring the fact that it was uncomfortable to be hugged with.

=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=

The pair of garnet eyes looked up again. He sensed the power being unleashed back into the world, thought it was not enough to bring him out, the connection is still pretty strong. He felt a presence making an exit out for him from the room.

The spiky hair teenager stood up. His golden side bands bounced a bit as he did so. Walking to the hole, which was still small when he had last seen it. His eyes widen when he saw how much it'd changed, from a little hole to this. It was now big enough for a wardrobe to fit in, and certainly enough for him.

Poking his head into it first to check for signs, he was surprised to find that it had brought him to a meadow. Flowers and trees grew on the ground and different color birds flocked themselves about.

_What is this place?_ Unseen before to the teen, he soon realized that it was a dream. A dream from whoever had connected with him.

Walking into the meadow he searched for the person, he was astonished to see the different colors. He had been the white chamber for too long, not used to the sudden change of colorful settings. Yes, it was too long. How long? He doesn't remember and it doesn't matter.

It wasn't long before he spotted someone. It looks like a mere boy in the age of eleven or so wearing purple woodland clothing. His back faced him as he played with his small flower ball. He seemed to be having fun with it. Thought he could not understand how that ball could've caught anyone's interest.

Walking closer, he noticed that the child in the woodland clothing seemed oddly familiar. There was a mirror back at the white chamber, where he'd usually looked at himself out of boredom and often wondered if that's what he really looked like.

The little boy laughed merrily and tossed his flower ball into the air and caught it when it fell back to the ground.

The taller boy stopped in a distance. His eyes widen when the little boy turned a bit, but enough for him to see his face. He looked exactly like him! Except that he looked younger, more innocent, he didn't have the blond hair at the top and he had light amethyst color eyes instead of bloody garnet. 

The small elfin boy seemed to have finally noticed him as he stood up to face him, but he didn't look surprise, at least not that much comparing to him. 

"Hello," he greeted the teen "Who are you?"

He didn't answer. He was still in shocked about the elfin boy in front of him. But the boy didn't look surprised, scared, or anything except that curious face. Is this what you feel when you dream? He never had one, so that's what he guessed.

It took him a few minutes to figure the whole thing out. About why he looked like him, and what is the reason behind this whole thing. He smiled darkly and stepped in front of the boy with his arm crossed.

"Who are you may I ask?" he replied.

"Yugi..." the small boy answered, suddenly uncertain about whether it was a good idea to greet him as he clenched the ball in his hands. Even in his dreams, he could see the teen clearly. He looked pretty much like him, and surprisingly to himself, he didn't found that so strange. "Who are you?" he asked again.

"Me?" the taller teen smirk "I am you, Yugi"

Yugi gulped and drew his ball closer to his arms. The petals were starting to lose its color as he squeezed it tightly upon his small hands "Who?"

"In another word, Yami, Yami Yugi"

"O-oh? Well...can I ask you?" he squeaked, looking down "Why do you look like me-no, why are you me?"

Yami stood still and asked back, "Why am I you? Why are you Yugi? Why does Yugi exist? And why do you look like this? If you can answer these questions, I can tell you why I am you."

Yugi stood there, speechless and unable to answer any of his questions. 

Looking at the speechless boy, Yami smirked again and answered "Well, guess I can't answer you then."  

Making a quick thought to change a subject, Yugi said "Why are you here?"

"Because you're dreaming, and when you're dreaming, your dream is the only place that I can access to. But if you gain more darkness, perhaps I can access to more..." he trailed off looking at another direction.

"More...?" 

"You're waking up," Yami interrupted "You're dreamland is fading, and I shall have to go"

"Go? Wait, are you real?" Yugi asks hastily.

Yami turned to him, "I might be, and I might not be, it's all for you to choose. My path is for you to direct, so choose wisely for yourself..."

=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=x=

Yugi's eyes fluttered and he stirred. Groaning and turned over. His eyes slowly opened, refreshed and suddenly energetic. 

Who had he met again? His name...Yami Yugi? That person who look like him? Yes, Yami Yugi, that's it.

Then he started to question himself in his thoughts. What had he meant when he said that 'my path is for you to direct' and 'I am you'. 

Could he actually be one of those people who got too desperate and made up someone? An imaginary friend? Well, not exactly, he hadn't been talking to the air, or whatever you call them. Yami. That name seemed utterly surprising.

He sat up, and the puzzle fell on his lap. The puzzle, why did he feel that Yami Yugi was somehow connected to the puzzle? 

Yugi blinked. The puzzle was finished! The last time he looked, or when he had last remembered, it was barely halfway finished. Deciding that it's best to leave that alone for now, he jumped out of bed with the puzzle in his hand. 

He had saved a string from one of his project. Taking it out from his drawer, he slid it through the small hanging hole at the other end of the puzzle. Then attached the ends together.

He dangled the puzzle in the air. It was golden like an upside-down pyramid with a strange eye in the center. It was a bit strange, but Yugi didn't mind. He smiled happily at it and said, "We'll be good friends Yami!"

a/n: This chapter is mostly about Yami Yugi and Yugi himself. What a hasty chapter, but I'm losing sleep, I'll load this another day...


	6. Yami Bakura & Yami Malik

Darkness Falls 

-Yami Bakura & Yami Marik

Ryou polished the ring again. Smiling at his reflection and beamed and tossed it up in the air. It landed swiftly on the bed. Ryou stretch and smiled, "That's enough polishing!"

_//Yes that is, it's all slippery...//_

It's that voice again, that dark voice. Ever since he brought it home and started to talk to himself, the ring seemed to be replying back. Even thought Ryou was a bit scared at first, he had also found that voice rather amazing. Even thought that it doesn't really comment unless Ryou did something to it like over-polishing it.

"Sorry ring," he chuckled "but you do look rather nice and shiny like this!"

_//So you use it as a mirror to comb your hair? Fool//_

Ryou pursed his lips together. The ring sure can say nasty things at times. He was glad that he got worse taunting before. Holding the ring in front of him, he laughed, "Sorry,"

_//And you're apologizing because of that? You weakling//_

Ryou smiled again, at first, the ring had said probably all the curses to him that there ever was, but now, it seemed better because they were no threat to Ryou, he had had practice of staying silent at times like that. He figured that the ring must've gotten tired of trying to make him scared. It's either that or its mouth has gone dry.

"I'm amazed that a ring can actually talk," Ryou said "But I did sometimes believe that objects can-"

_//I am not a ring//_

"Oh, then what are you? A dreamcatcher? Fan?" Ryou guessed. The ring-object had never said anything when he called it a ring before, why now?

The golden ring-like object didn't answer.

"Hello? Ring? You there?" he poked the ring softly by the side.

_//I said I am not a ring//_

"Fine, what are you then?" he asked, holding the ring up so the eye in the center was facing him.

_//I am...//_

Ryou waited.

_//I am//_

"Am what?"

_//I am you//_

Ryou blinked a couple of times. "What do you mean by 'I am you'? Aren't you a ring?" he asked, questions suddenly erupted and spilled itself into his senses. "And how come you can talk?"

_//II knew you wouldn't understand, such a mere mortal you are...//_

"I don't understand," he admitted. Then push through his curiosities. "That's why I want you know. Don't you know?"

_//Of course//_

Ryou put the ring down and hesitated. It was all so strange that he didn't question the ring before. It all happened too quickly, too complicated, too confusing to him to keep up. For the ring acted like it knew everything all along.

"Who are you?" Ryou used his courage to speak up. He was a bit scared now.

_//I told you Ryou, I am you//_

Ryou stepped back, suddenly unsure about the ring. He swore that he had heard the ring chuckle darkly. Feeling uncertain about it, he backed off even more.

_//Come closer Ryou...//_

Ryou felt like feet moving towards the ring. And he was standing in front of it before he even realized it. The ring gently and slowly tilted up, now it was right in front of him. Even thought he wanted to run away, he couldn't. Something forced him to stay, and it wasn't all from that someone else. Part of him wanted to stay as well.  

He lifted his hand up impulsively, not knowing why, but he just want to, want to touch the surface of the golden ring. Brushing down the side of the ancient artifact, he felt something soothing him lightly.

_//I am you. But I am also known as another//_

"Who?" Ryou questioned.

_//Some knows me as a leader for a dark source, but that was long ago...too long. But you can call me Yami, Yami Bakura//_

"Yami" Ryou repeat. He felt the control over his feet again, but he didn't want to move. He held the side of the ring and smiled, "Hello Yami, it's nice to meet you."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Malik was almost sure that he's cursed. The rod was a foot away from him, lying still on the floor. He had tried to pick it up, but when he did, his hands felt cold and an eerie feeling crept to him. And when he looked into the mirror, he could tell that the reflection wasn't his. Although it looked a lot like him, he knew.

Maybe it was a tradition in his family to have these six-sense things. Isis has one, as far as he knew. Even thought she didn't say anything, not that she would've keep it a secret from anyone, he could tell that sometimes she knew things before they became reality. And it wasn't by coincidence either.

Sitting up, he decided to try again. Maybe it'll be better this time. He walked to it and knelt down, his hand trailed to it and finally gripped on the handle. Feeling the coolness of it. It felt relaxing. 

_//Was the first time too hard? //_

Malik jumped up. The low but deadly voice sent a shiver down his spine. He held the rod closer to him.

_//There's always second time//_

Malik shook his head to make sure that he actually heard the voice. It didn't sound friendly, not at all, yet he could almost catch a pinch of strange amusement and sympathy mixed in it.

_//However, you still don't seem to be in control yet//_

His voice was now full of amusement. Malik didn't feel comfortable at all. Whoever said that is sure in control now, over him.

_//No, you don't...//_

Malik gulped and asked back "Who are you? Where are you?" 

_//I am here, you can see me if you try...//_

Malik turned around. His light blondish hair fell back when he stopped, "Where?" he asked. Then he felt static pinches coming from the rod. Looking at it unsurely with his indigo eyes, he gave a small gasp before dropping the rod and backed off. But the rod never touched the ground. It stayed in the air.

"W-what are you?" he choke the words out. Then shuddered when it came closer, and stopped when it's close enough for him the reach over and grab the handle, but he dared not. The rod was shimmering, making it shinier than it looked before. 

_//Hmm...? What was that? Oh yes, what am I? Can't you see? //_

The icy voice gave enough answer to him already, but he swallowed managed to reply, "A-a rod?" he gasped out unsurely. What was I thinking? He thought.

_//To one's vision on the outside, yes. But perhaps if you knew and tried...//_

That left Malik puzzled and confused. He wanted to know more than he knows right now. And wasn't sure if he should ask. 

_//Yami//_

_Yami?_ Malik thought, what is that? Some kind of rod? Or was that its name? More suggestions popped within his head. He almost swore that the rod had smirked. Somehow, he just knew it did.

_//Yami Marik//_

Malik was pretty sure that the rod...Yami Marik it called itself, was chuckling. He could hear the wicked laughter flowing in his head. He found it very surprising that he wasn't afraid of it as he was to those who beat him. 

Even thought the laughter was wicked, he felt a bit of...friendliness? No, that can't be, his thoughts argued, the laughter's as evil as hell, no way any pureness could crawl into it.

The chuckling stopped.

There was no sound. The rod was still in the air. Malik reached over to touch the handle with the tip of his fingers. It felt cold, clean, smooth, untouched and fresh. All prepared to fall into his hands. 

Silently, he moved his hand closer. Close enough to grip on the handle once again. Instead of the usual coldness, it seemed to be inviting him in. He gripped on the rod with his other hand.

_//There we go, you're all settled...//_

"Settled?" Malik wondered. The icy cold and deadly tone melted from the voice. The golden eye was smiling. At least, to him, it was. "Yami..." he repeated under his breath "Yami Marik..."

a/n: Y.Bakura & Ryou + Y.Malik & Marik. Okay, Ryou's story isn't that clear, but I tried it on Marik. Doesn't anyone know more about Marik/Malik?

And one more thing (The thing I've forgotten in the last few chapters) 

The disclaimer, Yu-Gi-Oh! Does NOT belong to me. (Isn't it obvious?) Nor does the characters.


	7. The Sennen Ring

Darkness Falls 

-The Sennen Ring

a/n: Mind you that the hikaries will be calling their own yamies just yami, not like Yami Bakura or Yami Yugi. (At least in the beginning and maybe in the middle) Just so you don't get confused. But I will write them as 'Bakura', 'Yami', and 'Marik'.

Ryou gripped on the handle of his school case. He wore the strange golden ring with his today. He had tied a string on it so he can wear it over his neck like a long necklace, now it was resting between his school jacket and the white shirt. It just felt good to bring it with him, he had almost forgotten all about it because it hadn't make any move that remind Ryou that it was still there.

A soft smile crept to his lips, at least it didn't bother him in class, he definitely didn't want to get a failing mark on anything, especially behavior. Since the route that he used everyday was unavailable because of a construction site nearby, he took another route, it was longer than his usual one, and the street had many dark alleys, that's probably why hardly anyone walk there besides the fact that the whole street is just like an alleyway.

It was only a while after he walked to a deserted street when he felt a harsh grip grasp the back of his uniform jack collar.

Ryou barely gasp at the sudden movement because it was so quick. The brown hand-carried book bag dropped to the floor as he was pulled hastily into one of the dark alleyways.

He felt whatever that had grabbed him slammed his back hard onto one side of the wall. Ryou groaned. His knees felt weak as he fell onto the dirty, rocky floor because of that harsh pain caused by the back slam.

Ryou cried out as that something grabbed him again, but by his hair, making him face it. It felt like as if the pure white hair could be ripped from his head any moment. Ryou opened his eyes and blink away the tears that squeezed its way out from the grab and slam. 

He shivered when he looked right into a man's face, he didn't look quite right. "You!" he started, his voice was loud but raspy and unsteady. Ryou shrunk back when he smelled the alcoholic breath coming from the man's mouth as he spoke the words, "Y-you! Girl! Stand still!"

Girl? He thought, had I heard him right? Did he just call me a girl?

But thinking over, he had been mistakenly recognized as a female several times because of his hair. Thinking that the man was probably drunk and thought that he was a girl, he decided to protest.

"I'm not a girl! Can't you see?"

The man scoffed and laughed "Ha! You're saying that just to save your fuckin' ass! Well, you're gonna pay a lotta just for that!" he chuckle deeply. Ryou knew what's coming, and took the first thing that his mind told him to say.

"I'm not a girl!" he yelled in a denying voice again, but unsteady "Can't you just open your eyes you disgusting alcoholic old man."

It was too late when he regretted saying that, even thought it wasn't that harsh. He felt a hard punch on his cheek before it sends him flying back onto the ground again.

"Shut up you bitch!" the man growl. 

Ryou pursed his lips together. He felt blood leaking down the side of his mouth. Ouch! That punch was really something. He wasn't even finished with that thought when he was kicked to the other side.

Ryou cried out as he was kicked again and again by the man. His body felt weak, he had lost the control of it. They were too sore to obey his commands.

The drunken man yanked him up once again by his hair and pressing his back onto the wall. He leaned close to him and scowled, "Don't you dare say that ever again." With that, he drew out a penknife. 

It was sharp enough to cut through his uniform. Ryou gave a long and harsh scream when he felt the sharpness penetrate his skin. Yes, he had gotten scratches and cuts before, but never this deep, it feels like as if he had stuck the entire thing in.

His mind was running fast as he lost track of what the man was doing, but one thing he remembered very well: when the drunken man found his ring. 

Ryou was trying to do whatever he can to stop him from getting his hands onto his most treasured item. 

Don't take it! Ryou screamed in his mind. Please, he begged even thought he knew that he was only pleading within his mind. Please...he continued to beg within, please, Tears formed behind his eyelids as he slowly shut them.

Onegi...

The man laughed slightly when he saw the golden object. Thinking about how much it would worth, he reached forward for it.

"Ahh!" he screamed when he felt the white-haired boy's hand shot up and grabbed him by the wrist. He twisted it harshly, enough to break bones. Then he threw him to the opposite side of the wall, way behind, where he crashed into some garbage cans. 

It took him a few minutes to recover from his surprise. How could that mere child have grown from weak and meekly suddenly to...that? 

He spun around, but there was only the entrance to the alleyway, the wall, and nothing else. No sign of that long hair child.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Ryou spend the rest of the day crying and sniffing. He didn't remember what happened back at the alleyway. When he got his got his consciousness back, he was in his room already. His clothes were ripped and dirty.

The child with snowy hair sighed as he took out the small sewing box and laid it on the table besides his school uniform. It was uncomfortable wearing the dirty clothing at home especially when he didn't want to get the house all dirty.

He opened the box and then took out the needles and threads. The blue and white fabrics were prepared on the table already. 

Ryou found the closest matching color thread to the jacket. He picked out some buttons and began putting the fabrics together with the threads. Sniffing as the small silver needle went through the fabric again and again, carrying the thread behind it. 

The hours passed by and he finally finished cleaning and sewing the ruined uniform.

There were a few seconds of silence when he just gazed into the space in front of him. Then he fell forward onto the table and shoved his face into his arms. Small sobs came after it. 

Then sun fell over the buildings and apartments of the Domino City. The house was dark, and so was the room, except for the small light from a nearby apartment room and the reflected light on the golden ring that was laid carefully on the table. The light from the other room faded, but the ring was still glowing.

It pulsed with a dim golden light.

                        * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

In a pure white room, a boy with pale white hair was sleeping on the white sheet and cover bed. There was no window, and no light, but the room was white enough to not let anyone notice that there was no light.

The snow-haired boy groaned softly and switched his sleeping position. Someone walked over to the bed and bend down, shadowing his face. The person had long white hair as well, he leaned down and gently blew on his face.

The boy on the bed moved a bit, startled, but his eyes were still closed. It was only a few seconds before the boy stirred again and his eyes open the meet to white walls and furniture. 

Curiously the long hair boy slowly sat up to see his surroundings. 

_It's so white and clean_, he thought as his eyes glanced over the surroundings. But there's no doors or windows.

Ryou sat up straightly to realize that he wasn't wearing his original casual clothing that he had switched into when he got home. He was wearing a white turtleneck sleeveless shirt, a long white pants, and a pair of white shoes that came up halfway to his knees. He could barely call it shoes because it was completely made out of fabric. He could feel the floor like as if he was wearing socks.

_What is this place?_ He asked himself. 

"What are you doing here?" a familiar voice asked.

_I know that voice!_ Ryou thought _I've heard it before..._ He turned around to see a teenager that look around the same age as him. What was very surprising and unusual to him is that the person looks almost exactly like him.

Ryou backed away a bit. The familiar stranger asked again, "How did you get here?"

His voice was very familiar and tight. Ryou decide to take the chance ask, "Who are you?"

It might've not been a good question to ask because the stranger didn't reply back. He looked at him as if he had just blurted out a secret that shocked him deeply.

Ryou exam him carefully, he was taller than him, his hair more spiked up as if he had put gel on it, but again, it does look kind of natural, he was wearing the same clothing as him, but instead of whitish with a hint of blue, he was wearing dark leathery blackish-blue clothing. _It does look fitting on him, _he thought. 

"Don't you remember me?"

His sudden voice popped into his mind so quickly that gave him a small jump. "Uh...well," he stumbled, what was that ring's name again? "Are you Yami?" 

"I presume that it a good thing that you remembered, Ryou." Bakura nods slightly. Then he knelt down on one leg in front of Ryou. Ryou blinked, his chocolate colored eyes look at the taller him, he seem to be studying him by looking into his eyes, that made him a little nervous.

Bakura asked, "Are you lonely?" there was no emotional tone of anything in his voice, it's just...simple and straight.

Laughing with his regular, fake laughter, he smiled and waved his hands in front of him, "No, no! Of course not! Why would you ask that?"

Bakura didn't reply He blinked several times as he knelt in his position and stayed silent. 

Ryou sat back a bit, soft rosy colors began to flush onto his cheeks. The way he was kneeling now was as if he was proposing a proposal, except with no hand out, and no ring.

The silver-haired teen stood back up and turned away "Then get out."

"O-oh, sure." Ryou quickly jumped up from the bed, suddenly filled with uncomfortable feelings on the way that Bakura was acting to him. For a moment, he acted like a concerning family, and then he started to act as icy as the frosted blizzard.

He searched around for an exit. Then spun around to Bakura, who's back is facing him. "Um...where's the exit?" he squeaked.

Bakura stayed silent for a moment before turning to him. He walked forward, forcing Ryou to back away until his back met the wall. He gasped when Bakura slammed his hands on the sides of the wall and loomed over him.

"I had enough of this place." He said darkly "I have to get out."

Ryou blinked, confused of what his yami was saying. "Hikari..." Bakura breathed softly. 

Hikari? Ryou thought about the sudden word...light. Was he talking about the light in this room? He thought carefully and tried to figure out the reason why his Yami said that, also trying to avoid the thoughts of what his Yami was trying to do.

Suddenly, Bakura started to speak in a language that Ryou had never heard before. He looked into his cautious dark wood color eyes. So moist and shallow, he forgot about what he was saying. 

However, it didn't took long before Ryou put his attention more to the words that came out of his Yami's mouth because the words seem to be going through his mind like lightning. He groaned and shrank back, only to be caught and placed back by Bakura.

The words, if they are words, penetrated his mind. Making him shiver and wince. Even thought he didn't understand a single thing that he was speaking, he felt the language familiar in some way. It was as if he was casting some kind of spell on him.

_It hurts_, he thought. _It hurts so much!_ He felt frozen and his lungs felt dry. Unable to move, talk back, or turn his attention onto something else. Tears were formed in his heavily behind his closed eyes.

Please let this be a nightmare, he begged. Please!

As if some god had heard him. The chanting stopped and he dropped down onto the floor, breathing hard.

He opened his eyes to find out the he fell from the chair down to the floor in his room. He pants softly before sitting up. Even thought that he had resumed that the situation was just a dream, his body still felt sore and stressed.

"You are tired little Ryou." The familiar voice sprouted in his mind and he slowly look up fearfully into the deep eyes of Bakura, who knelt down to him again and touched his forehead with a finger. 

"Go to sleep and let your fears be my enemy." 

That was the last thing that Ryou heard before his eyelids drop and collapse. Bakura pick up Ryou's limp body and carried it away.

Even in his dreams, Ryou could still hear his voice calling:

_~Go to sleep and let your fears be my enemy~_

a/n: Please spare a few minutes or seconds to review. And, do you think I should turn this into a Yami x Hikari? (Recently I've been really intrigued in those)


	8. The Sennen Rod

**Darkness Falls**

- The Sennen Rod

The sun was beginning to fall when Mariku Ishtar walk back to the apartment that he and his sister Ishizu Ishtar lived. It was obvious that his sister wasn't home, even if she hadn't told him.

The golden rod-like object was tucked neatly in his schoolbag. He hadn't notice that it was there until he was in class. It amazed him how it was fitted into it. He could easily pull it out with no problem.

The schoolmates separated as they walk further away from the school. And Malik was left walking back alone, well, that is until he heard some talking. Using his instincts to hid by some alleyway, he peek from it to catch a glimpse of a group of people, something clicked, there's that feeling again. Not good. He didn't take any chances as he spun around and dashed into the alleyway, hoping that it won't have a dead end.

But perhaps he made a move too soon, he crashed into some garbage cans on the way, slightly startle by his own movement, he began to run, but the road was muddy so he could hear his footsteps loud and clear. That must've been another thing that alerted them because he could hear couple of other footsteps coming after him.

Quickly hiding behind a wall when the alleyway splits, he paused to catch his breath, he could hear the footsteps stop as well and people asking and commenting, but he wasn't near enough to catch everything that they had said.

He began to panic inside when he heard the footsteps again, slow and steady, meaning that they're looking around the area. Not good for him, but he dared not to let his feelings show as he grip the handle of his brown schoolbag.

Tucked inside of it lied the Sennen rod. Carefully and well settled down on it spot, the eye that symbol Ra looked proudly yet slyly out from a side of the brown schoolbag. Within seconds, the golden eye glowed in a wondrous golden light, but not enough to draw attention and Malik was too busy paying his attention to his hunters.

Immediately a second after the eyes glowed, a similar shape began to form on his forehead as well. _Wow, it's getting hot in here, _Marik thought, he eyes began to droop, _my forehead, it's so hot there, so dizzy...warm...confusing._

He could hear a laughing tone from a familiar someone.

_//Isn't it wondrous when the world becomes nothing and you could enjoy every moment of your life and finally understand its meaning? //_

_Yes, that would be nice... _Malik thought, dazed by the hot feeling coming from his forehead.

_//It would be perfect, to finally not meet hatred anywhere. To finally have what you really deserved. To finally laugh at ones who dared to claim that they're above you...//_

The sound of someone crashing into some cans woke Malik from his trance. The glow on his forehead and the rod vanished as if it never glowed before.

Malik focus his attention back to his hunters. The prey could hear curses from the one whom had absentmindedly crashed into the cans.

"Damn!" another one cried, "Shoulda be careful!"

"There's nothing here."

"Man, I swore that I had saw that blondish kid."

Malik waited until the chattering was gone and the footsteps fainted before coming out from his hiding spot. _Strange..._

Malik looked into the bathroom mirror. The earlier game of the hunter and prey was out of his mind, now he was wondering about that voice. He heard it when he had first- well actually it was the third time when he had held the rod up. It had sounded deadly and it gave him a feeling that sends a shiver down him while made sigh in relief at the same time. As strange at it sounded, that was the only way that he could explain the feeling.

Taking a good look at himself in the mirror, he could see the same Egyptian boy. Bleach blondish-silver hair. A pair of indigo-violet eyes that showed no ambition. Dark, tanned skin that look no different from any other Egyptians around. 

There he stood, standing in front of the mirror looking at himself, he look at his forehead and his eyes widen when he saw that there was an eye on his head. It was just like the one carved onto the rod that he had. _Why hadn't I notice it?_ He thought.

But there was no time for that. The eye glowed and tried to devour his consciousness once again. The world seemed to have fallen into void for he could only see himself in the mirror. The eye glowed brighter, oh how it burns. It was hot before, but now it burns like fire.

_I feel like as if I can lose myself any second now_ he thought. He had to lean on the counter for support from falling onto the ground. Looking up at himself, he noticed a couple of things different.

His body looked a bit more muscular and his hair...

He quickly regained the control of himself. _Had I been so scared that my hair's spiked up like this? _He thought. Almost afraid to meet reality, he slowly reached a hand up to touch one of the spiked up hair. Nothing. He felt nothing, but his reflection had. He could tell as it brushed through the soft, straight hair. He saw the hair moved slightly as if it was the wind that had moved it instead of the hand.

Then when all of his attention was focused at the eyes, he knew that they weren't his. In place of the indigo-violet orbs, they were static purplish blue. He couldn't tell whether they were real or not. It looks real enough, but he couldn't see the pupils at all, it was as if he had none. And then there was the sly grin on his face, in a mixture of amusement and sadistic cheerfulness.

He took a step back to look at himself. If he can call that person himself, if he can call that person a him not an it.

_//Hello my hikari...//_

The voice struck him that moment, and only one thought came to him. 

"Yami Marik" he stated.

A laugh came right after he said those two words. He knew now that it wasn't him, and he wasn't sure what to do next. The laugh was piecing his soul like needles. And his world was still in void.

Yami Marik suddenly came forward out of the mirror, but all Malik could do is watch in astonishment as he crawl out and onto the counter. Marik look up, locking his static eyes into Malik's amazed indigo-violet ones. Reaching a hand towards him, Malik could feel that this was not going to go well, but remain in his position with his eyes locked into Marik's, it was impossible for him to look away from those eyes.

_Cling, cling, ling_

Malik blinked. The sound of keys turning and the front door opening snapped him out. He was still standing in the same position that he was in before, in front of the counter. But he wasn't in void anymore, and Yami Marik was gone. He just...vanished. A part of him had wanted him to stay for some reason.

"Mariku?" Ishizu called.

_She's home? Already? _Malik turn and walk out to see his sister carrying some grocery bags in her arms, "Come and help me won't you?" she sighed at her younger sibling.

"Why are you home this early?" Malik manage to ask while he put the bags in the kitchen.

"I had to come back and see what you're up to." 

_See what I'm up to? Hah, when did she start to care for me like this?_ He laughed in his thoughts. "Had I done something wrong?" he continued his questions.

"No, but it's best to check on your younger sibling once and awhile right?"

"I suppose..."

At dinner, Malik sat uncomfortably in his seat. The Japanese food taste didn't taste so bad, not really. He bit the end of his chopsticks. His sister spent hardly any time with him together, and they rarely ate together unless it's when she attends a meeting in a restaurant. But then again, she rarely brings him with her.

The blond teen stole a quick glance at her. She was watching him with those mysterious blue eyes again. They weren't concerning like a normal caring sister had, they were just mysterious in some ways.

He took another quick glance at her to catch a shiny object around her neck. He looked up, trying to avoid her eyes and stare at that shiny object around her neck. It had the symbol of the Eye of Ra carved on the necklace that she wore tightly around her neck.

Malik tried to hide his curiosity from his sister, but as he had suspected it, she knew. 

"I received this as a present from our parents years ago, before they passed away." She stated before Malik could ask her. Just before he was about to ask why he had never seen it before she answered, "I like to keep it safe as a treasure."

Malik closed his mouth and look down to his half-eaten food. He began to stir his chopstick around the rice.

"Strange, I never notice."

Isis hesitated, "You would have if you're paying more attention to them."

"You're the firstborn of course you received the more attention!"

"That's not true," she denied, "You had received yours. Why can't you accept the fact the I'm firstborn and I'm older?"

"Oh, I'll accept that!" he snapped, "but I don't see why that made you more special."

"Malik! Don't use that tone with me!" she snapped back, "You know that being firstborn had nothing to do with being more special, I have the credit to deserve what I own while you...you spend your days hiding, away from us, your family, your friends, and even yourself! So it's your own fault that you had what you deserved, a life with no meaning upon it! A life where you can't find your true path!"

_//Isn't it wondrous when the world becomes nothing and you could enjoy every moment of your life and finally understand its meaning? //_ The words swirled in his head.

Malik paused, then suddenly slammed his hands on the table and got up. "Yes, it's my fault. You're the special one, the perfect one. You're their favorite! The best of the best! A person that I'll never be able to match up to! The greatest! A child that anyone would be proud of, while I-I'm just a big disappointment! The lowest out of the lowest in the world, the one that don't even deserve to have a life! Happy yet?"

"M-Mariku..."

"No don't call me that!" he screamed and pointed a daring finger at her, "You are everything that I'm not. The one with perfection! They love you! You have the best and is the best! They adore you! You're their favorite, you're everyone's favorite! The best! The one with the most attention! They'll forget everything just to come to your aid with one call! No, it doesn't matter! They'll give you anything! They hate me! I'm nothing! And oh for Ra's sake the only place I deserve to live in is hell!"

He storm off into his room when he finish the last word. Slamming the door shut and locking it.

"M-Mariku?"

**-Malik's Thoughts-**

What's wrong with me? How can I just spill me feelings out like that? Didn't I vow that I'd never tell her those things? I flopped down into my bed. I was never good at making vows. No, I was never good at anything! I'm just a poor boy that deserved no one.

Isis' my parent's favorite, and she deserved it. 

I remember when I was much younger, when my parents were still alive and at Egypt.

The sun was burning its way on the land as usual and the wind didn't help. I didn't mind as a sat on some stones by some shades, watching my sister laugh along with her friends. I kicked some small stones when a few more kids came and join her group. She had everything that I don't, fame and pride.

I had no pride that my family was a wealthy one, not any for myself. And fame was more than what I could comprehend. That's what Isis have, not me.

            "Mariku!"

I looked up when I heard my name. My sister waved at me, smiling, "Want to play with us?"

Is this some kind of trick? I really wanted to join her group, but I wasn't ready for what was going to happen. And I wasn't ready to give myself in yet. Besides, her friends don't even like me, they would probably do anything to stay away from me. Shaking my head, I watch as my sister shrug and went back to play with her friends. Didn't she care about how I feel? I couldn't help but hope for her pity, but she gave none.

Then there's another time when we went to her award presentation. My parents were so thrilled about it that they didn't even notice

that I was there with them. And the rest of the day followed as they talk about their daughter Isis, my existence was completely forgotten and ignored.

It was a boring day. I didn't speak once since we got there. 

When it was all over, my sister came down off the stage and my parents immediately rushed to her. And when we left, they were by her side while I follow slowly behind. My existence had been forgotten by everyone that day, completely. I wasn't that noticeable anyway, days such as that often occurred when I was completely ignored and forgotten.

She is their favorite, the most special, the popular one. She's a daughter that any parent would be proud of.

I was the child who hides in cold shadows while she grace herself in the warm sunlight.

But I wouldn't say that she got more than she deserve. No, everything she had is everything she should have, she rightfully earned what she received, as well as I have. I can't deny that, she beautiful, graceful, intelligent, mysterious, and...special. Everything that I'm not, that's for sure.

It was easy for anyone to compare what they had towards their sibling, I suppose that I'm just another one. But mine was different, I know they love her but couldn't they love me? Just a bit? At least show that they cared, if they had.

I don't waste my time trying to impress and succeed her when I know that it'll only be a failure. But maybe I should have anyway, maybe doing that might get their attention a bit. Would it? It worked well with Isis.

I sat up, suddenly reminded of the rod that was still tuck away in my schoolbag. I didn't open the light, but the moonlight is enough for me to see.

Swiftly taking the bag up and release the rod from its position, I glace at the rare golden object in my hand and then let the schoolbag slid out of my arms. At least that's something she didn't have, though she did have a similar one.

I examine closely at it. The way it looks...strange, the eye. Remember all the things that I've learn and saw at one of Isis' meeting museums, this eye suddenly reminded me of Ra, the Egyptian Sun god, the mighty god of all gods. Then this is probably a precious artifact, but I'm not going to give it in. It's mine now.

_//Now you realize? Yes, the rod's yours, and all the powers which lies within it is no exception//_

Marik's words sank deeply into my mind, powers within it? What power? He might've read my mind because he answered my question swiftly.

_//Why, powers that you deserve to own, to gain, aren't I right, Mariku? //_

I still don't get the rod quite that well, like, how did he know about me? I hadn't told him anything. There was some kind of bond between us, I wasn't all quite sure about it, but it didn't seem important. I had other worries, so the problem with the rod wasn't worth much caring right now. But I didn't know how wrong I was...

Ishizu returned to her room after her brother storm off into his. 

Locking the door, she went to the center of the room and closed her eyes. She held up her cupped hands just in front of the Eye of Ra attached onto her necklace.

"Tuak, tell me what has been going on with my brother." 

When the last word was spoken, the eye on the necklace began to glow a brightly golden color, sending images through her mind.

In her mind, Isis could see Malik standing in front of the bathroom mirror. Just gazing into it in a dazed way. She edged a bit, trying to see what he was starting at, but there was only his reflection in the mirror, nothing else.

Then she saw a...something began to form by the mirror, it was in the shape of a person, and he was reaching towards Malik, when the hand almost touched Malik's tan color skin, the tuak stopped glowing and Isis was sent back to her room.

Isis paused. Then she touched her Eye of Ra. It was inactivated.

_My tuak stopped_ Isis thought. _That was where it ended, when I had interrupted. This is an ominous sign for the future. Hopefully Mariku will understand this soon because the tuak cannot tell me who it was that made connection to him. _She glace down at the floor.

_I'll have to try my best on him._

In the other room (Malik's bedroom) Malik had already fallen asleep while laying on the bed, the rod was on the bed as well, lying next to him. Standing a few inches away from the bed stood another person, his arm was crossed and his natural moist blue eyes glare at the wall that was between him and the other mage, he had heard everything.

"I'm not ready to give up yet" he spoke in a mysterious tone, "I won't allow you to disturb my connection with him."

A wry smile appeared on his face, "Try to enter, I'll block you. Try and form a link, I disconnect you. Try everything you can, I'll never let you succeed."

Turning to Malik's sleeping form, he gently brush his fingers though his long blondish-silver hair, "Never..."

A/n: Review?


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